Wheel for vehicles



(No Mom.) ,2 sneetesheet 1. J. WHITE. WHEEL POR VBHIGLES.

Patented Aug'. 25, 1896.

VVITN ESSES,

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet- 2.

1 J WHITE WHEEL FOR VEHICLES.

Patented Aug. 25, .1896.

ITL-'TBI- UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicE. f

JAMES IVIIITE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WHEEL FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent -No. 566,704, dated August 25, 1896. Application filed February 6,1898. Renewed December 17, 1894. Serial No, 532,007. (No model.)

To all whom zit may concern.-

Be it known 'that I, .I AMES WHITE, a citizen of the United Sta-tes, residing at Chicago, in

the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wheels for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail one mechanical form embodying the invention, such detail construction being but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings, Figure I represents a view of my improved vehicle-wheel, showing the wheel complete, but without the hub; Fig. II, an enlarged diametric section of the central portion of the wheel, the hub, and the axle; Fig. III, a view of the hub, illustrating the wheel-disks as out away at the edges of the hub-flanges; Fig. IV, a section on the line IV IV, Fig. II 5 Fig. V, a diametrical section of the rim portion of the wheel, and Figs. VI, VII, and VIII sections of other forms of rims and tires.

The spoke and rim portion of the wheel is formed 'from two metallic disks Ast ai npel out or formerlrbyIother, process, carried out by 'one-'or more steps, to be oppositely dished and to be cut out and corrugated to form spokes a, central disk portions a', rim-flanges o?, and tie-webs a3, which connect the spokes about midway between the rim and the hub. The spokes are corrugated for the purpose of increasing the strength of said parts, and thereby compensate 'for the weakening effect of the large openings punched in the disks to form the spokes, central portions, rim, and tie-webs. The spoke-corrugations o extend into the central portion and into the laterallyprojecting rim-flanges de, said latter extensions bracing said langes. The disks are united near the rim-flanges by means of rivets l) or similar fastenings, and the outwardlybulged inner portions of the disks are kept braced apart by means of bolts b, which bolts, together with the tie-webs and hub, provide rectangular braces between the spokes of the wheel, rendering the latter completely rigid. A concave seat for the tire C is formed by the rim-anges, and said seat may have an auxiliary rim D secured in it for the purpose of providing a smooth and even seat for the tire. A hub E is formed with a central sleeve portion E and end flanges E2, each formed with a number of wedged-shaped and rounded radiating projections c upon its outer face, which fit into the inner radiating ends of the oorrugations of the spokes, so that the central disk portion of the wheel-disk may have a seat against the end flange, which thus corresponds in shape to said central portion. Screw-threaded necks c project from the outer faces of the end anges of the hub, and the central hub-openings of the wheel-disks may fit upon said screw-threaded necks. Collars F iit upon the screw-threaded n eeks and have Wedge-shaped and rounded radiating recesses f in their inner faces, which recesses register with and correspond in shape to the inner ends of the spoke-corrugations and the projections upon the hub flanges. The meeting faces of said iianges and collars and the central portions of the wheel-disks have thus corresponding corrugations, so that said parts may fit one upon the other. The collars are secured to the flanges, so as to clamp the wheeldisks, by means of bolts g. Internallyscrew-threaded caps II iit upon the screwthreaded necks of the hub and assist in clamping the collars and the central portions of the wheel-disks against the liub-iianges, besides serving as inclosing casings for the antifriction balls or rollers. An axle J passes through the hub and has two reduced ends j, which are inserted through the ends of the supports K of the vehicle, between which supports the wheel is journaled. Nuts j lit upon the screw-threaded ends of the axle and secure the same to the supports, clamping the latter between the nuts and the shoulders or" the axle. The ends of the axle pass through the caps upon the ends of the hub, and said caps are preferably formed with polygonal nut portions 7i for the application of a wrench. Antifriction-rollers L are placed within the interiors of the necks upon the hub and the axle, and said rollers are confined in place by means of the caps. Bushings Z of hardened steel are preferably inserted between the rollers and the necks for the purpose of preventing undue wear upon the interior surface of the necks. The caps are preferably IOC secured against accidental turning upon the necks of the hubs by set-screws 7L', passing through the caps and into seats in the ends of the necks. Vhen a rubber tire is not used in the wheel, but it is desired to use a metallic tire, such a tire is preferably T-shaped in cross-section, having a tread M and a Iiange m upon the inner side of such tread. The rivets b, which unite the disks at the rim, may pass through the flange of the tire, or rivets may pass through the rim-flanges and the tread. Three forms of tire and fastening are illustrated in Figs. VI, VII, and VIII. This wheel will possess great strength and rigidity on account of the manner in which the outwardly-bul gin g wheel-disks are braced by the hub and brace-bolts, and the wheel may at the same time be comparatively light, as large portions of the sheet metal are cut away between the corrugated spokes, and the sheet metal may be comparatively thin, as it is strongly braced by the shape of the disks and by the manner of bracing said disks. The disks are rigidly clamped between the hub-flanges and collars, and the radial corrugated formation of the disks, hub-flanges, and collars will prevent any rotary displacement of the wheel-disks in their relation to the hub. A light, strong, and comparatively cheap wheel is thus produced.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention maybe employed for the mode herein explained. Change may therefore be made as regards the mechanism thus disclosed, provided the principles of construction set forth, respectively, in the following claims are employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my inventionl. In a vehicle-wheel, the combination of a sleeve provided at both ends with rigid vertical flanges formed with radial spoke-seats upon their outer faces; two skeleton sheetmetal disks, each having a central disk portion and cut out to form spokes formed with longitudinal corrugations extending into said central disk portion; two collars provided upon their inner faces with spoke-seats corresponding and registering with the inner ends of the spokes and with the seats in the vertical iianges, and means for forcing and holding said collars against the disk portions and flanges7 causing said portions and the inner spoke ends to be firmly-clamped between the fianges and collars, substantially as set forth.

2. A vehicle-wheel having in combination, a sleeve provided at both ends with rigid vertical flanges constructed with radial tapering corrugations on their outer faces, two skeleton sheet-metal disks each having corrugated spokes connected with each other by a continuous web at their inner ends, two collars provided on their inner faces with radial corrugations, and means for clamping the collars,

the skeleton disks, and the vertical flan ges to 4 each other, substantially as set forth.

3. A vehicle-wheel having in combination,

a sleeve having at both ends vertical flanges provided upon their outer faces with convex tapering seats which project from intervening flat surfaces of the flanges, two skeleton sheetmetal disks each having corrugated spokes and a continuous flat web connecting the inner ends of the spoke-corrugations, two collars provided upon their inner faces with concave spoke-seats, and means for clamping the collars, the sheet-metal disks and the vertical flanges to each other, substantially as set forth.

4. A vehicle-wheel having in combination, a sleeve provided at both ends with rigid vertical iianges formed with radial spoke-seats on their outer faces; two skeleton sheet-metal disks each having corrugated spokes, a continuous web connect-ing the inner ends of the spoke-corrugations, and tie-webs connecting the spokes between their ends; transverse ties connecting the spokes of opposite disks between the ends of the spokes; collars provided upon their inner faces with spoke-seats corresponding to those of the vertical flanges; and means for clamping the collars, the skeleton disks and the radial flanges to each other, substantially as set forth.

5. A vehicle-wheel having in combination, a radially-ribbed iiange, sheet-metal spokes which are corrugated to receive the ribs, the ends of the spokes being connected with each other by intervening sheet metal adapted to engage with the flange between the sides of adjacent spokes, a collar adapted to engage with the flange between the corrugated spokes and with the sheet metal between the inner ends of the spokes, and means for clamping the flange, the spokes and the collar together, substantially as set forth.

6. A vehicle-wheel having in combination, sheet-metal spokes projecting from a disk which has a central opening, a vertical flange having a horizontally-projecting neck adapted to enter the disk-opening,a collar surrounding the horizontal neck and a flanged cap mounted on the horizontal neck and engaging the collar, substantially as set forth.

7. A vehicle-wheel having in combination, a radially-ribbed vertical iiange, sheet-metal spokes which are corrugated to receive the ribs and project from a disk having a central opening, ahorizontal neck projecting from the vertical fiange and adapted to enter the diskopening, a radially-grooved collar surrounding the horizontal neck, and a flanged cap mounted on the horizontal neck and engaging the grooved collar, substantially as set forth.

S. A vehicle-wheel having in combination, corrugated sheet metal spokes projecting from a disk, a radially-ribbed vertical flange having a central opening, a horizontal neck projecting from the vertical flange at some distance from the central opening and concentric therewith, a collar surrounding the horizontal neck, a flanged cap mounted on the horizontal neck and engaging with the collar and having a central opening corresponding IOO IIO

to the opening of the vertical flange, whereby there is formed between the Vertical flange and the flanged cap a circular chamber for the reception of antifriotion-rollers, substantially as set forth.

9. A vehicle-Wheel having a series of corrugated sheet-metal spokes, a central disk, and an outer rim which is flanged to receive a tire, the outer ends of the spoke-oorrugations extending outward across the tireflange, suhstantially` as set forth.

10. A vehicle-Wheel having a series of corrugated spokes, a central disk, an outer rini formed with oppositely-proj eoting flanges, the outer ends of the spokeeorrugations extend- 

